Proudly made in China. Warrior Shanghai is a legendary Chinese sneaker brand that was founded in the 30’s and is now available in Europe, for the first time. But being made in the Middle Kingdom has never been a seal of quality in Europe.

The campaign – People’s Republic of Europe – launches the brand in Europe and sets out to give positive new meaning to to the “Made in China” label. At the same time it is the first project to explore what it means to live in Europe as a young Chinese person.

回力—始于30年代的中国驰名商标—以最具标志性的回力运动鞋而闻名,现今回力运动鞋正首次在欧洲上市。但是,“中国制造”在欧洲从来没有过高质量的口碑。

欧洲人民共和国”项目在欧洲推出回力品牌的同时,希望给“中国制造”的标签赋予新的意义,也希望去探索中国年轻一代在欧洲生活意味着什么。

欧洲人民共和国
Part 1 – PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF EUROPE

“Compared to China, in a lot of ways life is slower and is not as exciting.”
– Jessie Yingying Gong

Europe: the birthplace of Democracy and the Free World – right? After centuries of Europe-centric history, we tend to believe that Europe is the best of the possible worlds. But is that really true? Take an honest look at Europe through the stereotypes and attitudes still alive in the Old Continent.

大家都知道欧洲是民主与自由的发源地。经过了几个世纪以来以欧洲为中心的历史的主导和影响,我们都倾向于认为欧洲是最好的,但这是真的吗?让我们一起来通过一些仍然存在的刻板而顽固的欧洲印象更诚实地看待欧洲大陆吧。

中国制造
Part 2 – MADE IN CHINA

“Nobody can do it without ‘Made in China’.”
– Ting Gong

China produces most of the everyday products we buy and use in Europe, but “Made in China” still carries a stigma of cheap quality and forgettable craftsmanship.

Now a generation of Chinese creatives is turning “Made in China” into “Designed in China” and the global sweatshop is becoming a global innovator, about to take on the world.

中国生产着我们在欧洲购买和使用的大部分日常用品,但“中国制造”的标签仍然带着廉价和低质量的印记。

新一代中国年轻人正在将“中国制造”转变为“中国设计”。全球血汗工厂正在成为全球创新者,随时准备着影响世界。

自由
Part 3 – FREEDOM

“That’s also one of the reasons I came to Europe. To redefine my freedom.”
– Rainie Yang

Few things are as relative and ever-changing as Freedom. Decades of biased information and chopped up reports have created an aura of mystery around the Chinese concept of Freedom. So this film asks: where do you feel more free? This is a look at the illusion of Freedom.

我们对自由的定义总是相对且不断变化的。长时间以来,媒体的偏见和破碎的报道为中国的自由的概念制造了更神秘的光环。所以短片里提出了这样的问题:“你觉得在哪里更自由?”,以此来讨论我们对自由的印象和误解。

访谈
The Interviews

Ting Gong

Fashion Designer
& Film Maker

Do you feel a greater sense of freedom in Europe or China?

It’s better in Europe, in my experience. For my career as well – I’m a designer and an artist. What I was working on, what I was doing, it wasn’t easy in China. Thats why its so clear for me that here I have more freedom to do what I want.

你觉得欧洲或中国有更大的自由感吗?

根据我的经验,它在欧洲更好。 对于我的职业生涯 – 我是一名设计师和一名艺术家。 我在做什么,我在做什么,在中国并不容易。 这就是为什么我这么清楚,在这里我有更多自由去做我想做的事。

Rainie Yang

Scriptwriter
& Influencer

How do you feel Europeans see China and the Chinese?

I think Europeans have many many fantasies about China and the whole Eastern ‘mystery’. Kind of like a jasmine scent. They can feel a very strong jasmine scent, but they never find where’s the flower. The only way to learn is to go to China, and feel the society and form a real connection with local Chinese. Then you can discover and understand a different way of living.

你觉得欧洲人看中国和中国人怎么样?

我认为欧洲人对中国和整个东方的“神秘”有许多幻想。 有点像茉莉花的香味。 他们可以感受到非常强烈的茉莉花香味,但他们从来没有找到花的位置。 学习的唯一途径是去中国,感受社会,与当地华人建立真正的联系。 然后,您可以发现并了解不同的生活方式。

Qian Hao

Graphic
& Motion Designer

What does the label Made in China mean to you?

Well if you had asked me this question five years ago, “Oh, made in China, that probably means bad quality and low price”. But now China is changing really quickly, and I think of Made in China as a label with potential for new opportunities.

中国制造的标签对您意味着什么?

好吧,如果你五年前问过我这个问题,“哦,在中国制造,这可能意味着质量差,价格低”。 但现在中国正在迅速发生变化,我认为中国制造是一个有潜力获得新机遇的品牌。

Evelyn Taocheng Wang

Artist

What is your opinion of Europe and Europeans?

I think European culture always looks like chocolate. I always say that in places like Amsterdam or Spain, their central station – the architecture looks like a chocolate. And that kind of architecture always looks like it must have a king inside. But in reality, I wouldn’t like a place that is ruled by a monarchy because I think everybody is equal and everybody should be free.

您对欧洲和欧洲人有何看法?

我认为欧洲文化总是看起来像巧克力。 我总是说,在阿姆斯特丹或西班牙等地,他们的中心站 – 建筑看起来像巧克力。 而这种建筑看起来总是看起来必须有一个内部的王。 但实际上,我不喜欢一个由君主制统治的地方,因为我认为每个人都是平等的,每个人都应该自由。

Jessie Yingying Gong

Photographer
& Visual Artist

Do you feel a greater sense of freedom in Europe or China?

It’s better in Europe, in my experience. For my career as well – I’m a designer and an artist. What I was working on, what I was doing, it wasn’t easy in China. Thats why its so clear for me that here I have more freedom to do what I want.

你觉得欧洲比中国更自由吗?

我真的不想说我在欧洲比在中国感觉更自由,尽管这可能是人们的期望。 在某种程度上,在这里,在做事,做项目,做自己的工作时,我觉得有很多规则,事情在这里更具表现力,因此需要更多精力,有时在安全和公共活动方面有更多规定。 如今在中国完成任务相对容易。

美照
Some Digital Stuff

周边
Merchandise

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